Furnace and process of operating the same



H. Q. BEASLEY. ET AL FUmmcE AND PROCESS 0F OPERATING THE SAME Filed July14. 1924 lg H. C. BEASLEY ET AL A FURNACE AND PRocEss 0F OPERATING THESAME Filed July 14. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FURNAGE AND PROCESS 0FOPERATING THE SAME Filed July; 14. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @@o H2; 9 vgpgm,

. H. C. BEASLEY ET AL FURNACE AND PROCESS OF OPERATING THE SAME FiledJuly 14. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 figg., L7

ll/l/f' E Z" f//A il?? f 5 other uses.

Patented @ein l2, figg@ tentera HERBERT C. BEASLEY, 03E @AK FARE,

GRQVE, md', A SEGNES,

AND ROBERT EIAUDOUGLL, @F DWNERS BY A.lrtlESlalE ASSIGNMENTS, T@ BEEMACKF'BNACE AND ERCESS OIF,- OPERAYN@ THE Application led July M, 1924.Serial No. H5374.

@ur invention relates to improvements in furnaces and process ofoperating the same adapted particularly for treating and fusing enamelware, although it is adapted to many lt is applied to furnaces of thegeneral type in which material to be treated is conveyed into thefurnace and through it during the treating operation, and it has' forone object to provide means whereby l the conveyer which carries thematerial through the furnace, and particularly through the heated zoneis cooled, and whereby escape of the heat from the furnace is prevented.means whereby the material as it leaves the 'furnace is additionallycooled before actually leavingthe furnace, 'and whereby materialentering the furnace is heated by a blast of hot air. v@ther objectswill appear from time to time throughout the Specification and claims.

The furnace is of the general type in which two parallel lines ofarticles pase through the furnace in opposite directions on a continuousendless conveyer, and the ends of the furnace itself are thus open.

Our invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein: p

Figures 1, 2 and 3 form together a diagramn'latic plan view, Figures 1and 3 showing opposite ends of the furnace, and Figure 2 the centersection;

Figure t is a vertical cross section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3;

' Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing in detail the supporting membersfor the conveyer and the cooling means therefor; v

Figure 6 is a detailed elevational view showing one end of the furnace;

Figure 7 isa vertical cross section on an enlarged scale taken on line7--7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a horizontal cross section on an enlarged scale takenl online 8 8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a plan view in part section showing the conveyer chain;

Figure 10 is a detail enerally in elevation and partly in section sowing the conveyer chain.

Like partel are designated by like charac#- ters throughout.

Another object is to provide A is the main burning or firing chamber ofthe furnace. it may be heated in any suitable manner. Preferably,however, it is heated electrically ln the referred form the furnace ismade generally of concrete with the addition of fire and heat resistantmaterial, although it might be made of any suitable material. A1 A1 aresupporting and strengthening beams which' form part of the furnacestructure. The burning chamber is preferably provided with a centralpartition A2 which in effect divides it into two distinct chambersseparated from each other.

The central burning chamber A opens directly at either end into twochambers B B. These chambers are provided with supporting andstrengthening members B1 1, and these burning chambers B are preferablynot sub-divided within themselves. At the outer end of each of thechambers B is a preheating and pre-cooling chamber C which is'providedwith supporting members C1.

D is an endless conveyer chain running through the furnace and extendingat each end beyond it. At one end it runs by a supporting pulley orwheel D1 which is carried and journaled in a frame-work D2 and providedwith longitudinal adjusting means D3 so that it may be moved in and out.At the other end the conveyer D is carried on a pulley D mounted on ashaft D5 which carries abell Wheel D6 driven by a pinion D7 mounted on ashaft D8. This shaft is driven by a reduction gear D9 from a pulley D1Owhich is itself driven from any Suitable p ower source. By means of thisconstruct1on the conveyer chain is moved through the furnace and carriesthe material in and out.

Running throughout the length of the furnace and extending through allof the chambers are two slots E. Above thm slots the conveyi" chain D isdriven and throu h these slots material bein moved through t e furnaceis supported From the conveyer. The conveyer chain includes suitablerollers E1. .These rollers run upon tracks E E2 above the slots E andabove the furnace proper. rllile'traclrs are su ported from the various'beams B1 B1 and 51. Forming a part of the chain and attached toit is asectional moving inverted trough-like covering F for the slots E, Thiscovering is made up of a plurality of sections fastened to the chainlinks and adapted to fit each section with the other as shownparticularly in' Figure 9. This trough F penetrates into sand F1 held oneither side of the slotsE introughs or depressions F2.

Extending over the slots E 'throughout practically their entire'lengthand covering them and the conveyer and tracks upon which it runs andextending into the sand are hoods G.

ln communication with the hoods G and preferably running lengthwiseabove the furnace is the main air conduit H. Air is con'veyed to thisconduit through a pipe H1 by means of a blower- H2. Between the blowerH2' and the conduit H is a valve structure H? by means of which air maybe allowed to escape before reaching the conduit H so as to regulatepressure within the conduit system. At each end the con-A duit Hcommunicates with the subsidiary conduits Hi which extend over theremaining part of the furnace and are in communication with the hoods G.Running from the conduit H to the hoods G is a plurality of feeder pipesH5. By means of these pipes air which is forced into the conduit systemis finally forced into the hoods G. Toward the end of the main conduit Hfeeder pipes Hl .which are smaller than the pipes'H5 communicate withintermediate heating chambers B and bring air from the conduit to thehoods G above the intermediate chambers B. Communicating with theconduit H4 are feeder pipes H7 which communicate with the hood above thefurnace chamber and take air to them at that point.

Adjacent the outer Mend -of each of the conduitsH* is a downwardlyextending conduit I. This conduit communicates with a discharge box I1which is provided with a plurality of perforations I2. This dischargebox is situated at each end of the furnace on the side of the furnacethrough which the outgoing material is carried, and the air coming fromit blows upon the outwardly moving material. The air which is drawn intothe conduit system is substan-.

tially uncooled, being usually room temperature although it might becooled.

Although we have shown an operative device, still it will be obviousthat many changes might be made in size, shape and arrangement of partswithout departing materially from the spirit of our invention; and wewish, therefore, that our showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of our invention are as follows: v

The central chamber alone is heated to a suitable temperature. Some ofthe heat from this chamber, of course, penetrates into the intermediatechambers, and to a much lesser degree even into the two outer chambers.Raw material to be treated is put on the conveyer at each end of thefurnace and thus there is moving into the furnace con- 'material passesa stream of treated and partially cooled material.

Air is forced into the conduit system under comparatively smallpressure. The

pressure is suiiicient to resist the pressure of the heated air whichtends to leave the furnace through the slot in the roof, and thusleakage of this heated air through the slotsin the roof is practicallyprevented and the conveyer chain moving in .the hood above this slot iscomparatively cool and the difficulties of wear and lubrication aregreatly reduced. The amount of air forced into the hood above thevarious chambers is regulated by means of the size of the conduits andfeeder pipes to conform to`the varying degrees of pressure. The pressureof the heated air in the central chamber is, of course, higher than thatin the other chambers.

At each of the outer ends of the furnace,`

theair in the conduit system which has not been forced downward into thehoods cov ering the slots is finally forced into the discharge box: Thisis still substantially cool air and it is blown directly upon theoutwardly moving stream of treated and partially cooled material andserves additionally to cool it.' Since there is nopartition in the outerchambers of the furnace, the partially cooled treated material movesdirectly past the cool untreated material and the heat from thepartially cooled material serves initially to heat the enteringunt-reated material.

`The blastv of cool air which is blown upon the outwardly moving treatedmaterial serves to cool it and is in this action itself heated andbecomes thus a blast of heated air. and-after becoming so heated movesdirectly across to the incoming stream-of unheated` untreated materialand thus serves to heat it initially, at av point almost of its firstentrance into the' pre-heating chamber C of the furnace.

We claim:

1. In combination with an oven having a slot in the roof thereof, a-hood overlying system adapted to force air under pressure into saidhood, in combination with a con- -veyer adapted to run within said hoodand above said slot.

3. In combination with anoven having a slot in the roof thereof, a hoodoverlying said slot and means for preventing the escape of heated airthrough said slot, including said hood, and an air supply and conduitsystem adapted to force air under pressure into said hood, incombination with a conveyerI adapted to run within said hood and abovesaid slot, said conveyor carrying an inverted hood adapted to over1iesaid slot and to penetrate into a pair of sand tilled troughs on eitherside of said slot.

fl.A In combination with an oven having a .slot in the roof thereof, ahood overlying said slot and means for preventing the escape of heatedair through said slot, including said hood, and an air supply andconduit' system adapted to force air under pressure into said/hood, incombination with an endless conveyer adapted to run within said hood andabove said slot, said conveyer carrying an articulated inverted hoodadapted to overlie said slot and to penetrate into a pair of sand filledtroughs on either side ofl said slot.

5. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the roofthereof, hoods covering said slots and means for preventing the escapeof heated air through said slots, including said hoods, and an airsupply and conduit system adapted to force air under pressure into saidhoods. y

' 6. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the rootthereof, hoods covering said slots and means for preventing the escapeof heated air through said slots, including said hoods, and an airsupply and conduit system adapted to force air under pressure into saidhoods, and an endless conveyer adapted to move within said hood and tolsupport material within said ovenS,-said conveyor carrying anarticulated inverted hood overlying said slots.

7. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the roofthereof, hoods covering said slots and means for preventing the escapeof. heated air vthrough said slots, including said hoods, and an airsupply and conduit system adapted to forceair under pressure into saidhoods, and an endless conveyer adapted to move within said hood and tosupport material Within said oven, said conveyer carrying an articulatedinverted vhood overlying said slots` and adapted to co-operate withpairs of sand filled troughs lying on either side of each of said slotsto prevent the escape of heated air therethrough. 8. In combination withan oven having a pair of' slots in its top, and an endless oonveyeradapted' to support material through said slots and to move saidmaterial into and out of said oven in two oppositely movsaid enteringcool material to heat the same.

9. In combination with an ovenhaving a plurality of slots in the topthereof, and an endless conveyor adapted to move material into and outof said oven in two op ositely moving streams, a heating chamber withinsaid oven adapted to heat said material, and cooling chambers on eitherside of said heating chamber, and means for preventing the escape ofheated air from said slots, including hoods extending over said slotsand an air supply and conduit system adapted to force airunder pressureinto said hoods.

l0. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the topthereof, and an endless conveyor adapted to move material into and ontof said oven in two oppositely moving streams,-a heating chamberwithinsaid oven adapted to heat said material, and cooling chambers oneither side of said heating chamber, and means for'preventing the escapeof4 heated air from said slots, including hoods extending over saidslots and an air supply and conduit system adapted to force airunder'pressure into said hoods, said endless conveyor carrying anarticulated inverted hood-like trough overlying said slots.

11. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the topthereof, and an endless conveyor adapted to move material into and outof said oven in two oppos'itely moving streams, a heat-ing chamberwithin said oven adapted to heat said material, and cooling chambers oneither side of said heating chamber, and means for preventing the escapeof heated air from said slots, including hoods extending over said slotsand an air supply and conduit system adapted to force air under pressureinto said hoods,said endless convever carrying an articulated invertedhood-like trough overlying said slots, and (zo-operating with sandfilled troughs on each side of each slot to prevent the escape of heatedair therethrough.

12. In combination with an oven having a plurality of slots in the topthereof, and an endless conveyor adapted to move material into and outof said oven in two oppositely moving streams, a heating'chamber withinsaid oven adapted to heat said material, and cooling chambers on eitherside slots and an air supply and conduit system adapted to force airunder pressure into said hoods, and Ameans in combination with saidconduit system for cooling the outgoing material and heating the ingoingmaterial including a connection at each end 'of said conduit system anda discharge means ladapted to blow air from the conduit system upon theheated outward stream of ma- .terial, and thus'after such air has becomeheated upon the cool ingoing stream of ma- 13. In combination with anoven having a plurality of slots in the top thereof, an

an endless conveyer adapted to move ma-` terial into and out ofsaid ovenin two oppositely moving streams a heating chamber going material andheatin the ingoing materlal, including a connectlon at each end of;

said conduit system and a discharge means adapted to blow cool air fromthe conduitV system upon the heated outward stream of material andthence after such air has become heated, 'uponxthe cool ingoing streamof. material.

14. In combination with an oven havinga plurality of-slots in the topthereof, and an endless conveyer adapted to move material into'and outof said oven in two oppositely moving streams, a heating chamber withinsaid oven adapted to heat said material, and cooling'chambers on eitherside of said heating chamber, and means for preventing theescape ofheated air from said slots, including hoods extending` over said slotsand an air supply and conduit system adapted to i force air underpressure into said hoods,

said "endless conveyer carrying an articulated inverted hood-like troughoverl ing A said slots, and co-op'erating with said lled the escape ofheated air therethrough, andv means in combination with said conduitsystroughs on each side of each slot to prevent tem for cooling' theoutgoing material and heating the ingoing material, including aconnection at each end of said conduit sys-- tem and a discharge meansadapted to blow cool air fromthe' conduit system upon the heated outwardstream ofv material and thence after such air has becomeheated, upon thecool ingoing stream of material.

15. The method of preventing the escape -airthrough such opening,including mem-' bers adapted tosurround said opening with a zone ofpressure suicient to prevent the escape of such heated air. l

17. In combination with an oven having an outside conveyor and anopening in said oven through which said conveyor-extends` means forpreventing the escapev of heated air through such opening, andmean's formaintaining along such opening an air pressure suiiicient to prevent theescape of said heated air. Y

18. The method ofl preventing the escape of heated air through anopenin' in an oren wall which consists in surroun ing such opening witha zone of air under pressure substantially equal to the pressure of theair within such oven. i p

19. A process for preventing the ,escape of air through an opening in anoven 'which consists in maintaining on the outer side of said opening apressure only slightly in excessof that within the oven.

20. An oven Ahaving an opening through. a wall thereof, means within theoven for moving materials to betreated therein, movable means outsidethe oven for operating the first said means, connections between thefirst, and second said means -extending through said opening, a hoodover said openings andl the second said means, and means for supplyingsaid hood with gas' under pressure; 4

Signed at Cicero, Illinois, this 9th day of July, 1924.

HERBERT o. BEASLEY. Signed at Cicero, Illinois, this 9th day of July,1924.

ROBERT MAGDOUGALL.

